Like His Father
by LeiaOrganicSolo
Summary: Post Jak 3. A conversation between Sig and Jak leads to childhoods being revealed and their first best friends. Jak x Sig bonding. NO SLASH, i promise


"Sig?" Upon hearing his name, the wastelander, now King of Spargus turned his head towards the young blonde.

"What's up Cherry?" The elf who had called his name, Jak, had his back to the throne, as usual. _Don't think about why, _Sig warned himself. _Just don't think about him. There's nothing you could have done._

"Ho-how long did you- did you know my fa-father?" Sig noticed the trembling in Jak's voice. _Don't think about it. Just block it out._

"Long before you were born Chilli Pepper." Sig took a deep breath. "We're, well, we were the best of friends." _Don't think about it. C'mon, the boy will drop the subject. Just don't remember._

"Since when you were my age?"

"Younger than you, but not by too much." Sig sighed. He knew Jak wouldn't drop the subject. So Sig gave in. Jak was too much like Damas. His temper, his attitude. Hell, the boy even wore a right shoulder pad. Jak reminded him of Damas so much that Sig felt a stab of pain at his heart. But still, he stayed strong. Thinking about him didn't hurt as much as usual, so Sig continued, as water dripped in the pools as a constant background noise. Besides, the boy deserved to hear about his own father. "Damas was the Prince of Haven City. I was just a regular citizen. My family wasn't exactly poor, but we weren't that rich either. We lost my dad when I turned nine. Worst birthday president ever."

Sig heard Jak mutter something about wumpbees.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. Nine's just an unlucky birthday number. Go on." Despite the slight tremor in his voice, Jak was eager of hearing more of the story. Walking down the steps of his throne, Sig dropped down to sit next to Jak, who stiffened.

Quickly Jak turned his head away from Sig, but not before the king noticed the tears pooling in his vivid blue eyes. Ignoring this for Jak's sake he continued.

"Turns out we just happened to meet at the Eco-Festival. The Prince was walking on his own, dreaming of when it would be his turn to save the world." Sig nudged the teen slouched next to him. "Sounds like someone else I know." Jak blushed, but still managed a glare. The king laughed, happy the tears were gone, even replaced by a glare or not. "Anyway, I was wandering too. Got bored. Lookin' for some of my own, er, action myself..."

_Damas sighed. The Eco-Festival seemed to become more boring every year. Maybe he was tired of everyone gushing over him. He was only a mere prince! His father was King! He didn't understand it. Or maybe he was just growing up. Indeed, now thirteen years old, the prince of Haven City had began his training of Eco-Channeling. This was a rare power, and Damas was proud to have it. He was from the lineage of Mar. The gift ran in his family's blood._

_And so Prince Damas walked, consumed in thoughts. He passed a flag baring the seal of Mar, identical to the one tied around his neck. Suddenly the young prince heard shouting._

_"How dare you, ya little slumdog! Yer gonna regret that!" This was followed by barking, and the sound of someone swearing at the top of his longs._

_"You dirty rotten mother effer! What'd he ever do to you, you monster? You son of a bitch! That hurts!" Sprinting over to the next intersection, Damas found a boy around his age on the ground, being held around the neck by a large man. A small crocdog was barking._

_"What the..." Damas trailed off, frantically trying to think of what to say. Stop? No. That wouldn't work. "By order of Prince Damas of Haven City, I demand you to stop!" Wait, he was Prince Damas. Of course the order was coming from him. Oh well. Both the man and the boy stopped wrestling and stared. The crocdog continued barking. The man quickly stood up and dusted himself off._

_"Why, yer Higness-"_

_"Silence. What's going on?"_

_The man began stuttering. "Why, here I was, walking my crocdog, when all of a sudden, this, this delinquant starts attacking me for no reason-"_

_"I did too have a reason!" innterupted the boy. Despite the mud coating the boy's face, his green eyes shown bright with anger. "You were beating up the poor crocdog!"_

_"Shut yer trap boy! This here crocdog belongs to me!" The man, bald and in his mid-forties face turned a bright red._

_"Hey look, you're almost as red as that faggot mustache of yours!" The dirty boy had a point. This resulted in more screaming and fighting._

_"Aye! Knock it off!" Damas kew he didn't sound much like a prince but cotinued screaming anyway. "I could call my guards at any given moment!" The fighting siezed, but if looks could kill, the two citizens would both be dead by now by each other's glare. "You sir, owner of the crocdog. What he says," Damas getured to the boy who was still glaring. "Is it true?"_

_"Why, I... Yes yer Majesty."_

_"There are rules about animal abuse. You are aware of that?" Damas sent a stern glare of his own. A glare that seemed to scream 'Disagree and you're dead.'_

_The beefy man hung his head. "Yes sir."_

_"Then I ask that you be on your way. I'll take care of the crocdog."_

_"Well what about the boy who assulted me?" the man asked. "Does he get no punishment?"_

_"I'll take care of him," the young prince assured him. He hoped the slumdog felt intimidated. One look at him and Damas was sure he didn't. The man seemed to slink away. The dirty boy sent the middle finger to his retreating back._

_"Bastard..." he muttered. "He's the reason this world is so messed up." Damas couldn't help but agree._

_"What's your name?" the prince asked._

_"Sig." A one answer reply. Damas didn't mind._

_"Well, Sig, the crocdog is yours to keep." Young Sig smiled._

_"Thank you. I went through a lot of trouble to save that little bugger."_

_Damas laughed. "I can only imagine." All prince behavior was replaced with an unbrindled spirit and a dry sense of humor, as the two began to talk. "So Sig, where're you from?"_

"We became the best of friends just like that." Sig snapped his fingers to demonstrate.

Jak smiled. "You risked your life for a crocdog?"

Sig laughed. "Trust me, she was worth it. Besides, you're not the only one with pets around here." Sig laughed. "Speaking of which, where is the little orange guy?"

Jak sighed. "Daxter's probably pissed off somewhere. I didn't tell him where I was going. It bothers him when I'm in a bad mood. I didn't want him to worry."

Sig shrugged. "That's okay Cherry. We all need a day off."

Jak rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it." He was facing Sig now, a smile forming on his lips. But his eyes were still dull, with a hint of black. Sig had come to associate this with Jak being angry, or in this case depressed.

"Well, I've told you about how Damas and I met. Tell me about you and Orange Lightening."

Jak snorted at Daxter's nickname. "Where to begin?"

_The boy was pale, with freckles covering his cheeks. His hair was a sharp contrast to his skin, being a bright red. His eyes were blue, and wide with curiosity. Completely harmless. But the villagers avoided him anyway._

_While they gossiped the young freckled boy wandered around aimlessly. He couldn't be more than four. No one knew of his parents. Most likely eaten or killed. It was when the boy got a thorn stuck in his hand that he met Jak._

_Hair bleached blond by the sun at the tips, Jak's blue eye widened when he caught sight of the boy crying softly to himself. This was the boy that Uncle and Mr. Samos had warned him about. They told him he was trouble, and not to be messed with. But now with a thorn stuck in his finger he didn't look so bad. Just sad. And in need of help._

_And so little Jak quietly walked towards the redhead, who tried to make himself invisible against the tree. Gently Jak took his hand and quickly removed the thorn. The redhead didn't so much as let out a squeak. He was shocked. This little boy hadn't called him names, or laughed at him, or anything. Just helped him. So the little boy smiled. Someone wanted to help him._

_"Thanks," he said shyly, freckled face blushing slightly. Jak, the boy who helped him only smiled. "My name's Daxter. How about you?" Jak heaved a sigh and looked down. "Don't you have a name?" Jak shook his head. Yes, he did. He wanted to tell Daxter his name. He really did. But he couldn't talk. "Do you talk?" Again Jak shook his head. This time no. He kicked at a rock. The boy was gonna laugh at him, he just knew it. Just like everybody else. Jak waited._

_"That's okay. I can talk for ya!" Jak looked up and gasped silently. "What? I don't mind it talkin' for you. Just as long as you be my friend." Jak nodded excitedly. Daxter smiled. "Good. Now I just gotta think of a name... I got it! Jak! You and me Jakkie boy, we're gonna be the best of friends! Forever and ever!"_

Jak smiled at the memory. "Forever and ever," he whispered. His eyes were now a clear blue, untainted and as pretty as the sky.

Just like his mother's eyes, Sig thought. Exactly.

"What?" Jak asked. He had noticed Sig staring at him.

Sig answered in a quiet voice. "You have your mother's eyes."

Jak was taken back. "I- I do?"

"Yep. Prettiest eyes in the world..."

_It had been three years since the day Sig and Damas met. Sig was proud to admit they were the best of friends. Indeed they were. They told each other everything._

_"Sig?"_

_"Yeah Damas?" They were sitting in the sand at the Pumping Station, throwing rocks in the water._

_"What if I told you I found a girl?" Damas had a nervous edge to him._

_"Then I'd ask you what kind of girl," Sig answered simply._

_"A uh, a girl I want to spend the rest of my life with." Damas looked away, blushing._

_Sig laughed. "Good for you Damas. You gonna ask her out?"_

_"I'm not sure if she really likes me."_

_"Aw, c'mon. Who wouldn't like you?" Sig smiled. All he needed to do was give Damas enough support that he'd ask her out. He pressed on. "So you think she's pretty, right?"_

_"Yes," answered Damas._

_"So ask her out!" Sig grinned. He could hear his friend thinking from here._

_Finally Damas answered. "Alright. It can't hurt." Sig grinned wide._

_A couple days later and Damas asked the girl out. Sig watched from a little while away. And Damas was right. The girl was pretty. Sig couldn't help but be entranced by the way she walked, with her curly green hair swinging back and forth. Even from here he knew that she had bright blue eyes that took his breath away._

_Sig watched as Damas nervously asked her out. The girl nodded her head, curls bouncing. Her blue eyes seemed to become even lighter..._

"I'd give anything to have eyes like that," Sig said. "Or in my case, an eye."

Jak laughed. It was a real genuine laugh, not one coated in venom or sarcasm. Sig continued.

"What about you Chilli Pepper? Any girls you've had crushes on?"

Jak instantly stopped laughing and blushed instead. Sig smiled. So the big shot hero _did _have a crush. "Well?"

"Er, besides the one I'm a, dating?"

"Yes. Nevermind the Baron's daughter. That's obvious."

Jak sighed, realizing that Sig wouldn't give up on this. He'd just keep pestering him.

"Oh alright. But there was only ever one girl close to my age in the village."

_It was Jak's ninth birthday. He and his best friend Daxter were walking through the Forbidden Jungle, even though they were warned not to. Uncle said that there were snakes that could eat them up in one gulp! But Jak wasn't scared. Besides, he had something to tell Daxter._

_They were walking along the water's edge when Daxter looked up to see Jak. He was thinking, forehead ceased in thought. His green bangs were covering his blue eyes. "What's up Jakkie?"_

_Jak was startled out of his thinking. He blushed and gave Daxter a lopsided smile. 'Sorry. Just thinking 'bout something.'_

_"What'cha thinkin' 'bout?"_

_'Stuff.'_

_"Well obviously Jak. You gotta be thinking 'bout something. But tell me what specifically!"_

_Jak sighed but gave in. 'Keira.'_

_"What about her? Did she build something cool?"_

_Jak shook his head. 'No.'_

_The two boys were now on the edge of a large hole._

_"Umm... Did she turn green like her dad?"_

_'No Dax.'_

_"Did she-"_

_'Just lemme tell you!'_

_"Alright! No need to get mad!"_

_'I, I think I like her.'_

_"YOU WHAT?!?!?!"_

_Daxter's scream was enough to shock Jak onto the edge of the outsid rim of the hole where his arms flailed around for a couple seconds before he dropped._

_"Jak?" Daxter looked over the edge. Leaning down further wasn't a good idea, seeing as he was uncoordinated and all. Daxter fell in too, screaming the entire way. Daxter looked towards Jak, who was glaring at him. "Er, hi Jak."_

_'You're dead meat Daxter.'_

_And when the two boys heard buzzing they knew this wasn't an ordinary hole._

Jak smiled grimly as Sig laughed. "Now I won't go anywhere near them." This made Sig laugh even harder.

"Imagine, Prince Mar, hero of the world, afraid of a little wumpbee?" Sig's laughter quieted down to soft chuckles.

"I've never ran so fast in my life," Jak admitted. "And let me tell you, those damn bees were faster. Much faster."

"Does Keira know you liked her?" This comment froze Jak.

"I don't know."

"Do you still like her?" Sig pressed on. There was another faint blush creeping up on the young warrior.

"I guess so." Jak looked away. "Yeah. I do."

"What about Ashelin? You like her?" Sig couldn't help it. Curiosity got the better of him.

Jak sighed, and muttered something.

"Speak up boy. So I can hear you."

Jak gave in. "I like her as a friend." Jak gave Sig a look of desperation. Sig only nodded, hiding his smile.

"So why don't you tell her?"

"Ashelin Praxis." Jak rolled his eyes. "If I were to tell her, I'd probably never live to see another day." He thought for a moment. "Although if I don't end it soon Torn will probably kill me first."

_So the leader of the Underground had a hotspot for the Baron's daughter,_ Sig thought slyly.

"Well, what about Keira? Aren't you gonna tell her?" Another sigh.

"I don't know Sig. Doubt I could. I mean, send me in a Metalheads nest with barely any ammo and ask me to kill them? No problem. But the moment you ask me to talk to the opposite sex, let alone confess my love for them... Well, I'm screwed." Sig nodded, understanding.

"Same thing happened to me once. Somedays I still regret it."

_Within a few months Damas confessed to Sig that he was in love with Lily, the blue eyed beauty. The two seemed to be always together, taking walks through the royal garden, or talking. Sig felt a stab of jealousy, but brushed it off. It was just a crush, he assured himself. It would pass._

_It seemed that everything in Haven City was doing fine. The economy was at its peak, and the city flourished with the hustle and bustle of everday life._

_And then the Metalheads came. The attacked the city, killing many, including Sig's family. He had lost his dad when he was younger. But that was nothing compared to walking in his house and finding his mother and little sister torn to shreds and covered in their own crimson blood._

_After the war began, Damas' father, King of Haven led attacks on the Metalheads, defending the city his family had worked so hard to build. After a battle in the sewers he and his regiment of the city's best soldiers never returned. And the Metalheads found a new way into the city. Damas was now king, taking his father's place. He would live up to him, or die trying._

_And Sig was accused of murdering his family by the young Senator Praxis. He claimed that Sig was tired of having to care for them. But Sig never stuck around for his trial. He ran. Fought through armies of Metalheads, loosing his eye, and lots of blood. But he survived. And he left behind his friends and his memories. While day after day Damas fought for his city, and for Lily. As soon as the war was over he promised himself he would marry her._

_Soon Damas raised from the city a force never to be reckoned with, the Krimzon Guard. They fought valiantly, and died honorably. It wouldn't be long before Haven was at peace._

_And finally after eight years it seemed the war was over. The Metalheads were near extinction, and blood stained the city. Bodies were thrust into the streets, buried in pits with many others. There was no means of identifying them. Their remains were much too bloody, torn up by the Metalheads._

_Despite all the suffering, Damas managed to hang on to sanity by one thing alone: his soon to be wife Lily. For now not only did they love each other, they were expecting a child, concieved on one of the many nights where Lily expected never to see Damas again. It was on one of these nights that the two made love. The new heir brought new found hope in the city._

_And Sig returned. He knew he had been a coward, running from the pain, but he would make up for leaving Damas. And when he did return he found out that Lily was pregnant, and marrying Damas. And as jealous as he was Sig knew he had lost his chance, and that it was Damas who deserved the beautiful Lily. So Sig settled for best man, but he couldn't help but think that maybe if he had spoken up in the first place, it would be himself in Damas' place..._

"You loved my mother?" The question shot out of Jak's mouth before he could think. One look at the old wastelander's face and he regretted it.

"That I did Jak, although there wasn't a man in Haven who didn't." Sig smiled. "She was a beautiful woman. Smart, resourceful. She was quick in the head I tell you. Wasn't a problem she couldn't solve. And patient too. Your father was a very lucky man to have won her over." Then he sighed. "What they did to her, it wasn't right."

"What, what happened to her?" Jak felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He already knew the answer.

"Praxis. First he accuses me of murdering my family. Then he kicks your father out of the city. He claimed to the public that Damas was only trying to destroy this city," Sig had began to lower his voice. "He takes over the Guard, something Damas worked on harder than anything else. And then he orders them to," by now Sig was shaking in rage. "He tells them to find you and your mother. And they kill her, right in front of you. In the street. For everyone to see. And the excuse? She was plotting against him." Sig began to pace. "He killed Lily. He ruined this city. The little son of a bitch destroyed everything your father ever built. He hurt him where it hurts the most. He seperated his family." Sig noticed the blonde had gone silent. "Jak? You okay?"

But Jak was numb, the cold feeling in his stomach overtaking the rest of his body. He remembered. He knew what happened. "They shot her," he whispered hoarsely.

"Damn right they did! Those little assholes shot her in front of everyone!" Sig felt the fury returning.

"It was all my fault," Jak choked out. "All my friggin' fault."

_Lily hoisted Mar up on her hip, being careful not to take off the cloak that hid her face. She walked stealthily, trying to blend in with the shadows, Mar's small crocdog at her heels. Regardless, this didn't stop Krimzon Guards from walking her way._

_"You remember what I told you Mar?" She whispered to the toddler. He nodded, blue eyes wide with fright. Mommy had told him to run if the guards got her, and take Patches too. "Good boy," she whispered, kissing his ear. "I love you. Remember that. More than life itself."_

_The guards marched in perfect order, footsteps sychronized. "Drop the boy." The order came from the head guard. He held his morph gun pointed at the woman's forehead. "I said now!"_

_Lily carefully put her son down. "What's the meaning of this?" She slowly brought her hand behind her back where she grabbed a small gun. "I was only taking my son," she paused. "Jak here for a walk." Lily gestured casually to the green haired toddler hiding behind her skirt._

_"He's the heir to Haven. I suggest you hand him over or-" BAM. The guard's order was cut off as Lily shot him. He fell, blood as red as his uniform._

_"Don't touch him you scumbags!" Lily screeched, bringing the blaster around for another shot. Mar was too scared to scream. He ran and tripped, falling behind a large rock. He cut his knee and bit his lip, hard. "Wait until the day a real hero arises, not some power hungry jackass like Praxis! Then you'll all pay for what you've done to my family and this damn city!"_

_The guards brought up their own guns, and started firing. And Mar watched as his mother fell, blood staining her dress, and covering her pretty face. And Mar didn't scream at all. He couldn't. He didn't understand. Why wasn't Mommy waking up? Surely she was pretending, like she always did. Why won't she wake up? And then the toddler realized her eyes weren't closed. He had seen someone sleeping with their eyes open before. The man had been tossed down in a hole, where other sleeping people were. Daddy had said they weren't going to wake up soon._

_Did that mean Mommy was gone? The red continued to spread, forming a puddle. And Mommy still didn't wake up..._

"It was all my fault!" Jak sobbed. He closed his eyes, trying to erase the memory from his mind. It didn't work. "They wanted me! But she, she let them kill her all because of me!" Sig stood frozen for a moment. Didn't the Shadow say that Jak had no memory of Haven? But Sig couldn't stay frozen forever.

"Jak? C'mon Cherry, you know that ain't true." Sig said this in a gentle voice which broke.

"You weren't there. You didn't see. How could you know?" Anger was welling up in Jak, and Dark Eco was now coming off of him in waves. "Don't try to pretend you were! You said you loved her. How could you let her go wandering on her own, for Precursors sake?" That stung. Sig felt tears spring to his own eyes but he refused to let them fall. He knew Jak didn't mean it. He was just pissed off.

Anger rapidly changed to more depression. As soon as Sig was sure a bolt of Dark Eco wouldn't roll off Jak and hit him, he sat next to him again. Gently he put one of his large hands on Jak's shaking shoulder. Jak jerked away, but soon sunk into Sig's embrace, welcoming the comfort for a change. And Sig akwardly held Jak as he cried. The last time he had held Jak was a long time ago...

_"Upah." Sig turned around to see Prince Mar trailing behind him, stumbling along. "Upah."_

_"Hey Mari," Sig said in a cooing voice, bending down. Mar looked up. "What's up Cherry?"_

_"Upah."_

_Sig cocked his head to the side. "What's that?"_

_"Upah."_

_Mar was getting impatient. "Mari, I can't understand you. Say it again. Slower."_

_"Uh-Pah."_

_Sig sighed. Mar narrowed his eyes. 'As stubborn as his mother,' Sig noted._

_"Uh-Pah!" Mar said it louder._

_"Mar, shouting it doesn't make me understand it. What do you mean, 'upah?'"_

_"Upah!" Sig was exasperated now._

_"Upah? What is upah?"_

_"Upah!" Mar threw his hands in the air. "Upah!"_

_"Mar, in the name of the Precursors and of all that is good and holy, will you please explain to me-"_

_"He wants you to hold him. You know, pick him up."_

_Sig spun around to find Lily looking at him, an amused smile on her face. "Upah. Up."_

_Sig blushed. "Right." He picked up Mar, who smiled. "Upah!"_

Jak's breathing slowly became regular, and the sobs stopped. But Sig didn't let go. He had missed Jak. And now he was losing him. How he went from a carefree toddler to an angsty teenager, Sig was unsure. He knew Jak had been to prison. So Sig did know, maybe he just didn't want to believe it.

Soon Jak was silent, his breathing regular. Sig could practically hear the walls going up, as Jak began to shut Sig out. It seemed that no matter how much Jak hurt, he wouldn't admit it. He refused to show weakness. But to Sig Jak's weakness was easy to spot. It was love.

Jak loved his family, loved his friends. And he was afraid of losing them.

"You okay Chilli Pepper?"

Jak sighed. "Yeah. I guess so. Sorry I said that, stuff, earlier. I didn't mean it."

Sig ruffled Jak's hair. "I know you didn't. It's alright. You had a right to be angry. Everyone does."

Another sigh. "But you don't understand how close I was to, to losing it. I could have killed you."

And Sig realized Jak's weakness went even deeper to his feelings towards his loved ones. He was afraid of himself. Was afraid of hurting those he loved. He didn't trust himself. And now he was falling in depression, shutting everyone out. One look at the way his clothes hung loosely around his shoulders Sig guessed he had been starving himself too.

"You wouldn't have."

"How do you know?" This wasn't a snobby teenager who thought he knew everything. This was a scared teenager questioning himself, questioning his actions. Trying to make the right decisions. Wondering if he isn't being decieved, used. Sig knew Jak had been used more than once. And he knew it probably hurt everytime.

"Because. I just do. Cherry, I've known you since you were born. A temper tantrum isn't enough to send me away. I've been looking for you forever and it turns out I was only off by a couple hundred years. There's no way I'm sending you out the door anytime soon..."

_At the end of every briefing, Damas would ask the same question: "Did you find him Sig?"_

_And everytime Sig would answer "Not yet."_

_Then Damas would force a smile, and nod. And a piece of Sig died everytime he said "Not yet." When would 'yet' be? He hoped soon. He missed Mar, his curly green hair, his mother's eyes._

_His mother, reported dead. Sig shuddered at the thought of Damas' earlier reaction to his wife's death. Because there was none. Except for his eyes. His deep violet eyes lost their shine, and Damas never smiled again. 'Damn those bastards.' Sig thought. 'Damn them all to fucking hell.'_

_He searched throughout all of Haven City. Every hideout, every street, almost everyday. Mar was nowhere to be seen. But Sig never gave up, for when he found Mar, the city could finally be whole again. And so would Damas' heart._

Jak smiled softly. "Just about 300 years Sig. Nothing too bad."

"All right smart-ass. So, tell me more about you and and that blue-haired mechanic. I've told you about my embarrasing crush. Your turn."

Jak laughed. "I bet my embarrasing story's worse. Just ask Daxter."

_The three young elves were walking around the beaches edge, waves gliding over their bare feet. In the front was Jak, sun bleached hair blowing around in the wind. Next to him was Keira, blue hair pulled back in a ponytail. This meant she was thinking, and didn't want her hair in the way. Behind them was Daxter, the loud-mouthed redhead. His overbite stuck out, as did the freckles that dotted his face. And he had an evil smirk on his face._

_Luckily for Daxter, Jak and Keira were preocupied. They would glance shyly at each other, a blush forming on each of their cheeks. It was when Jak looked up towards the sun that Daxter put his plan in action. Sprinting forward he pulled down Jak's pants, leaving him standing there in his boxers, blushing and frantically trying to pull up his pants. Keira was blushing as well, but there was a smile on her pale green lips._

_Daxter laughed. Finally. He, Daxter, had made Jak blush in front of Keira. Granted they blushed around each other all the time, but this time Daxter caused it! His dream was complete. Then a new plan began, as Jak began running straight towards him, blue eyes narrowed. Operation: Run faster._

_It failed of course. Dragging himself onto the sand, Daxter spit out water. "Damn karma," he muttered._

"Well that must have sucked," Sig concluded with a dry laugh.

"Yeah. But it was great the moment Daxter hit the water. Who knew someone so scrawny could make such a big splash."

"So what was Keira's reaction?"

"She was mad at hell. She's the one who tackled Daxter to the ground." Sig laughed.

"And yet he's your best friend."

"Yep. Always was, always will be."

Sig noted the smile on Jak's face the moment Daxter was brought up.

"He's my last shred of sanity. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be here right now." The words were out of Jak's mouth before he could stop them. He realized what he had admitted.

"You, you've tried to- you've tried to kill yourself?" Sig was staring at Jak, eye opened wide. Had Jak felt that hurt before?

_Of course he did stupid. He probably still does, _Sig told himself.

Jak nodded, looking down, tracing the patterns on the stone he was sitting on with his eyes.

"Only once. When I went back f- for his body."

_Jak kicked at the vehicle, snarling. He felt the Dark Eco take over, and then the car was gone, hurtling across the starry horizon. Daxter crouched behind a rock, shaking._

_"J-Jaak? You okay?"_

_"Veger, stupid Veger! Why don't I just go and kill him now?" Jak screeched. "He deserves it. He destroyed the city. It's all his fault!" Dark Eco flew everywhere, killing plants, shattering rocks. Jak was pissed as hell. Veger killed his father. And his father would never know he was his son. Jak's eyes wandered to the right._

_The moment Jak layed eyes on the body, he changed back, and began to tremble. "He killed him," he whispered. "He killed my father."_

_"Jak. It's okay buddy. I'm here for ya. Calm down." Daxter walked warily towards Jak. The mood swings were leaving Daxter confused and Jak dizzy. And Jak said two words that nearly killed the ottsel._

_"Kill me." Those two words hurt Daxter more than anything anyone had ever said to him, and he'd been called a lot of bad things._

_"What?!" Daxter scrambled up and grabbed Jak around the collar. "What the hell are you talking about?!"_

_"Kill me. Please Daxter. Just shoot me." The pleading in his voice tore at Daxter's heart._

_"Jak, c'mon buddy. I'm here for you. It's alright. It's gonna be alright."_

_"No it's not Dax. The pain is never gonna fucking go away. I've waited ever since I've gotten to this Mar forsaken place! But the hurt never goes away. It just gets worse." Jak pulled out his gun. "Are you gonna do it? Or do I have to?" His fingers closed around the trigger._

_"NO!" Using all of his little ottsel strength Daxter wresteled the morph gun from Jak and tossed it on the rocky ground where it layed, muzzle facing Damas' body. "Jak, please buddy! I need you! I promised myself that I would never leave you! So that means you're not leaving me either!" He tugged at his collar again. "You hear me?" Jak's eyes suddenly went from night sky without stars to an ocean blue._

_And Jak looked down, ashamed. "Mar, what am I doing?" He kicked at a rock. A sob escaped his thoat. "I just want the pain to go away Dax. Everybody I love leaves me."_

_It began to thunder, and rain drops mixed with Jak's tears._

_But Daxter wrapped his sleek body firmly around his friends neck. "I'm not leaving you buddy. I promise you that. We'll always be the dynamic duo. Jak and Daxter. Best friends and fighters of crime and Precursor crap." This was enough to make Jak laugh, however small._

_And then a shadow of the old Jak crossed his face. "Thanks Dax. For everything."_

Jak sighed. "I almost pulled the trigger."

"But you didn't," Sig reminded him.

"If it wasn't for Daxter I would have."

"But you didn't," Sig repeated. Another sigh.

"I guess you're right."

"Is Daxter the reason you were fine at the funeral?"

"Sig, I haven't been 'fine' for the past three years." That damn smirk of his. Exactly like his mothers.

"Alright then." A hint of frustration. "Is Daxter the reason you didn't break down?"

"Yeah. That and I knew Damas would have wanted me to stay strong."

_It was a simple funeral pyre, just as Damas would have wanted it. All of Spargus attended to mourn their lost king. Monks prayed, and lit torches. It was Jak who started the fire, Daxter never leaving his side. And the fire spread over Damas' body, reuniting him to his spirit. Damas was finally free._

_And Sig stayed on the edge of the celebration. He had never liked large crowds. And all he wanted was to be alone. So did Jak, but that wasn't possible for the young hero._

_The citizens of Spargus were surprised to learn that Jak was their king's son. Many wondered if he would step up and become their king. But Jak refused. He firmly shook his head. As stubborn as his mother and as strong as his father he claimed he didn't deserve it. Sig did. And Sig snapped awake, his only eye widening in alarm. Him? King? But Jak gave him a smile that never fully reached his eyes and said he could do it._

_So Sig agreed. He forced a smile like Jak and nodded. But he knew there would become a day when Jak would step up to his father's crown. And then the city would be whole again._

Jak stood up to leave, but spared Sig a glance. "Thanks Sig." He gave Sig a small hug. Sig noticed that underneath all that armor, Jak wasn't that big.

"You're welcome Cherry. Anytime. Now go talk to that ottsel before he calls Search and Rescue for ya."

Jak smiled. "You bet." He walked down to the elevator, but not before his comlink went off.

'Jak? This is Ashelin.'

Jak looked at Sig and took a deep breath. "Hey Ashelin. We need to talk."

Sig smiled. In time, Jak would definently make a great king. Just like his father...

**End. I had a bunch of different ideas about Jak's mom, Jak and Sig bonding, and Damas, so I threw it all together. Ta da!!! Sorry it's so long... Oh, btw, in the part about the wumpbee, Jak doesn't rele talk. Hence the ' not " around his words.**

**~LeiaOrganicSolo**


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